Tidal wetland soil carbon accumulation rates for coastal California
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Carbon stock and carbon accumulation rate data are vital to multiple aspects of tidal wetland conservation and restoration policy. In California, USA tidal soil data are rare outside of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Delta regions, despite the differing conditions experienced by the outer coastline. Here we provide carbon stocks and decadal-to-centennial-scale carbon accumulation rate calculations. This dataset presents 83 soil depth profiles from 15 sites, with 58 cores from 12 tidal wetland sites analyzed for carbon stock, mostly from the outer coastline of California. Mean organic matter content was 11%, and stocks estimated to 1 meter depth ranged from 15.4 to 44.7 kgC m−2. Organic matter content generally declined asymptotically with depth. Carbon accumulation rates ranged from 39.2 to 130.0 gC m−2 yr−1. Neither carbon stock nor carbon accumulation rates were notably different from global average values. Data at this level of reporting are vital for establishing restoration baselines, informing greenhouse gas mitigation planning, and projecting future ecosystem response to sea-level rise.
Suggested Citation
Homquist, J.R., Brown, L.N., Fard, E., Ambrose, R.F., Hargan, K.E., Hammond, D.E., Kemnitz, N.J., Smol, J.P., Thorne, K., and MacDonald, G.M., 2026, Tidal wetland soil carbon accumulation rates for coastal California: Scientific Data, v. 13, 733, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-06935-8.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Tidal wetland soil carbon accumulation rates for coastal California |
| Series title | Scientific Data |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41597-026-06935-8 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Publication Date | March 24, 2026 |
| Year Published | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Nature |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | 733, 11 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Other Geospatial | coastal California |